As is generally known, plastic containers, such as PET bottles, can be already be labeled in the course of the production process through so-called in-mold labeling by introducing the labels in the blow mold before blow molding is executed. To this end, the label is laterally introduced in the open blow mold e.g. by grippers, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,649,119 B2, U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,149 and WO 00 785 26 A1 for rotary blow molders.
Since the preforms must, however, be inserted in the blow mold as well, the problem arises that the insertion processes must either be executed in succession, which will lead to a decrease in manufacturing efficiency, or that the respective transfer systems necessitate technically complicated structural designs so as to avoid a collision of the grippers. In addition, there is a need for a device which can also be integrated subsequently into already existing blow molders and which takes up as little space as possible.